Sophomores create council

Nov. 5, 2004

By KATE MCCLENDON, reporter

A new student organization was introduced at Thursday's Student Congress meeting that will be available for sophomores interested in leadership. An outline of the club was given by Sophomore Class President David Browning, Vice-President John Boswell and Secretary/Treasurer Olivia Laska.

"The main goal is to start school spirit and unite the sophomore class," Browning, a Dallas sophomore, said.

This group will be called the Sophomore Class Organization, or SCO, and is based on the Freshman Class Council and the Freshman Leadership Organization.

Robyn Kenagy | Lariat staffLeft to right: Sophomore class officers Olivia Laska, secretary and treasurer from Sugar Land; John Boswell, vice president from Duncanville; and David Browning, president from Dallas, speak to Student Congress at Thursday's meeting.

"Last year about this time I went in to talk to Tyler Sellers [assistant in the student activities department] about starting a sophomore class organization, and he told me that every year for a long time, freshman presidents have come to him or someone in student activities saying, 'we want to do this and create something like FLO or FCC.' And it started out as a good idea but it hasn't quite made it," Browning said, "but this year we've managed to make it."

Though the organization is loosely based on FLO or FCC, it's not completely the same, according to Browning.

"FCC and FLO are meant to create leaders - to lead and guide their sororities, fraternities and organizations," Browning said. "And SCO is different because it's trying to bring in leaders and get student organizations to work together, and especially the sophomore class."

SCO is still waiting on one signature to get the organization officially approved, which should happen in the next two weeks, Browning said. They do have a constitution, a board of directors, and an adviser to operate it this year and into next year.

"We were lucky enough to get David Murdock [judicial affairs coordinator in the student life department] as our adviser, and he said that he's going to be very dedicated to it and we're excited to have him," Browning said.

In the next two to three weeks, SCO plans to begin an application and interview process to accept 50 sophomore students into the organization. As soon as members are decided, the group will begin planning their first event, which will be an Olympics-type contest.

Browning, Boswell and Laska assured congress members that this organization would benefit the sophomore class and help unify the student body.

"This is an opportunity to unite, serve and lead Baylor's sophomore class for years to come," said all three officers in a combined statement.